Dreams of Green

“Mamá’s story says that long ago los Reyes Magos visited al bebé Jesús with gifts, and now every year they visit children like me on Three Kings’ Day.” But until now, they’ve always visited Lucía in Puerto Rico. Frozen Ohio, where the child’s family has recently moved, proves very different from the warm January climate they’re used to, and the child worries about whether the kings will be able to find them, and how their camels will find food under the snow. As Lucía yearns for the country left behind (for the camels, “I gathered grass even in January”) and finds new ways to celebrate (“I see a tiny fluff of brown... and gather a few sticks, pine needles, and pinecones”), the holiday reassures the protagonist that their connection to their home country and culture is far from lost. Rodríguez’s digital art juxtaposes the landscapes of Puerto Rico and Ohio throughout. Notes about the holiday conclude. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)